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The Way to Peace for God’s People

14 And I say:
Build up, build up, prepare the way,
    remove every obstacle from my people’s way.[a](A)
15 [b]For thus says the high and lofty One,
    the One who dwells forever, whose name is holy:
I dwell in a high and holy place,
    but also with the contrite and lowly of spirit,
To revive the spirit of the lowly,
    to revive the heart of the crushed.
16 For I will not accuse forever,
    nor always be angry;
For without me their spirit fails,
    the life breath that I have given.(B)
17 Because of their wicked avarice I grew angry;
    I struck them, hiding myself from them in wrath.
But they turned back, following the way
    of their own heart.(C)
18 I saw their ways,
    but I will heal them.
I will lead them and restore full comfort to them
    and to those who mourn for them,(D)
19     creating words of comfort.[c]
Peace! Peace to those who are far and near,
    says the Lord; and I will heal them.

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Footnotes

  1. 57:14 The way…my people’s way: the language and imagery are reminiscent of 40:1–2, but in this context, when the people have already returned, the physical road through the desert is replaced by the spiritual way that leads to redemption.
  2. 57:15 The God of Israel is presented in both a transcendent and an immanent manner. God’s holiness is the transcendent quality; the immanence is shown in the choice of dwelling among the downtrodden and humble.
  3. 57:19 Creating words of comfort: lit., “fruit of the lips,” perhaps referring to praise and thanksgiving for the divine healing; cf. Hos 14:3.